Tag Archives: exit through the giftshop

Mr Brainwash has a point, sadly his art well let’s just say not so much. Went to the banksy exhibit this morning at the 34 fine art gallery. It was pleasant, it was filled with unbelievably awe inspiring pieces of art just not banksy’s. There was only one banksy original, which was depressing because banksy is street art, but that one piece was incredible. Easily the simplest piece of art on the wall and easily the most profound. Understated simplicity but oh so powerful, banksy’s distinctive style and ease of skill with which he crafts his art. . . well I’m still a number one fan. His piece dubbed very ominously with price on request and an even formidable one of 25 prints contained a hooded and masked male holding the leash of a dog manipulated and subverted to become something identifiable but simultaneously bizarre. The oddities of every day life, isn’t art bliss. My main motivation behind rallying the group to go to the art exhibit was the film, ‘exit through the giftshop’. A film about the birth of the subversive and ground shattering culture of street art tracing its roots from banksy to space invader. The film captured for the first and only time banksy on tape, identity cloaked, but it provided a glimpse into the legend behind the name – the process of creating and even more exhilarating completing the street art under the cover of night without drawing attention or getting caught. If you haven’t seen it its a must see, but mr brainwash I’m glad your ‘art’ has progressed as much as it has, but I feel its bastardized the genre. Taking the pure idea and intent of street art and mimicking the style of others without half the skill and selling it for profits, capitalizing on a counter culture is not something that wins my vote. Your work displayed was beautiful if beautiful becomes synonymous with the cold, shallow, shiny things that occupy our lives: the metals that glint and most importantly reflect the true talent of others. For me mr brainwash is talented but his acclaim is unfounded, his fame is based on the piggy backed fame received from his link to banksy – who as if not shameful enough admitted after meeting him he never recommends that his friends try their hand at art. I mean him no ill intent, he has been fortunate enough to document and experience the birth of street art and was no doubt infatuated – rightly so. Yet mr brainwash is an amature with paintshop, silk screening and spray paint skills. Banksy creates artworks that speak and resound within a generation. Disguised in a gallery amoung the greats its easy to appear better than what things truely are. His knack for superimposed pop culture references are good, but is that considered equal to making great art? The gallery had a rather novel piece, an oil on canvas, of the god ganeish holding spray paint. It was amazingly playful and its childlike spirit encapsulated the nature of street art. It was a moment of gratitude to be witness to that talent, intent and dedication of each and every piece my only regret was that there weren’t more banksy originals or more for me to get lost in. The exhibit finishes on the 19th of november, its a must see.